News Releases from Headquarters›Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP)

EPA Provides Consumers Additional Options for COVID-19 Disinfectants

EPA has approved more than 460 products that are helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19

WASHINGTON (July 23, 2020)– Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added 32 new surface disinfectants to List N, the agency's list of products expected to kill SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

“Since day one, EPA’s priority has been to provide the public with easy access to the information they need to protect themselves and their families from the virus that causes COVID-19,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Through our efforts to expand List N, we are ensuring that Americans have a broad set of approved products to clean and disinfect surfaces to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus.”

Disinfectants can qualify for inclusion on List N three ways:

1. The product has been tested against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).
2. The product has demonstrated efficacy against a different coronavirus similar to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).
3. The product has demonstrated efficacy against a pathogen that is harder to kill than SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

EPA has added 32 new products to List-N. These products have already been approved as tuberculocidal. While they have not yet been tested against SARS-CoV-2, they are approved for killing the pathogen that causes tuberculosis and are expected to kill SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) when used according to the label (category three noted above).

Many tuberculocidal products are potent disinfectants and have a long history of use for cleaning hospitals and other health care settings. When using such products, it is critical to follow the label directions, including the precautionary statements.

Disinfectant products may be marketed and sold under multiple different brand and product names. Therefore, List N users should use the first two sections of a product’s registration number when searching List N, rather than its brand name. For example, if EPA Reg. No. 12345-12 is on List N, you can buy EPA Reg. No. 12345-12-2567 and know you’re getting an equivalent product. For more information on using an EPA registration number to search List N, see our FAQ at https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/frequent-questions-about-disinfectants-and-coronavirus-covid-19

Throughout the COVID-19 public health emergency, EPA has provided the American public with information on disinfecting surfaces against SARS-CoV-2. For more information about EPA’s response to COVID-19 visit: https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus